Oil temperature regulator



Feb. 19, 1935. .1. R. HoLMEs OIL TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed 00h51;1,932 5 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 19, 1935. 1 R HOLMES 4 1,991,555

OIL TEMPERATURE RGULATOR Filed oct. .31, 1952 v5 sheets-sheet 2 wim/MMPFeb. 19, '1935.

J, R. HOLMES l OIL TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed Oct. 3l, 1952 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 19, 1935. J. R. HOLMES 1,991,555

OIL TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed Oct. '51, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Syvum/who@ Feb. 19, 1935.

J. R. HOLMES OIL TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed Oct. 31, 1932 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 19, 1935 PrittE151 T -oFFlcs v OILTEMPERATURE REGULATOR felini-Ralph Holmes, Lockport,lNl..Yl.,'assignolgby vmesne assignments, to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,V Mich.,

` a corporationy ofV Deia@ Application center 31, 1932, serial No'.640,365 1- p' 15 claims, (01.'Y 257-245) The inability of heat exchangercores ofthe multi-cellular type to withstand the'pressures obtaining inthe lubricating systems of internal combustion engines has heretofore,precluded the use of heat exchangers of the multi-cellular `core typelin regulating the temperature of the lubricant in internal combustionengines. This invenf` tion relatesto heat exchangers of the multi-cel-Vlular core type and resides, principally, in al heat exchanger of themulti-cellular core type which is so constructed and/or arranged'thatthe core is capable of withstanding the pressures obtaining in thelubrioating'systems of internal combustion engines. f Y

For a better understanding of the nature and objects ci the presentinvention, reference is made to the following speci'cation'in whicharede-V scribed the preferred embodiments of my Vinvention'which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings. 1 I

ln the accompanying drawings: v-

Figure 1 is a side elevation'of an oil` temperature regulator in whichvmy invention is embodied. Figure 2 is a longitudinal Vsection throughthe oil temperature regulator shown in Figure Y1. f v

Figure 3 is an exploded View of'interior parts of the oilV temperatureregulator ,shown in Fig-'- ureslandZ.

Figurel is a longitudinal section through a second oiltemperature'regulator in which my in-f vcnticn is embodied.

Figure-5 is a longitudinalgsection, at a right angle to that shown inFigure 4, through the' oil temperature regulator shown in Figure 4. l'

lFigure 6`1s a longitudinal section'throug'h a third oil temperatureregulator in which my invention is embodied.

4Figure 'l is aV longitudinal section through a fourth oil temperatureregulatorY in which my invention is embodied. I f

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of core units yfromwhich the Ycores of the oil temperature regulators shown in theprecedingfigures are made. g A Y v Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view,partly in elevation andpartly in section, through a core of the typeshown in the preceding figures.

Figure 10 is an enlarged viragmentzalry perspec` tive View of an elementof a modified form of core unit.

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectionthrough' a fth eil temperatureregulatorin which my invention is embodied.

Figure 12 is a section taken on the line 12-12 of FigureY 11.

Figure 13 isa perspective view of an element ofthe core of the oiltemperature regulator shown in Figures 11 and 12. f

i 'In the oil temperature regulator shown in Figures l, 2 and V3, thereis included a'oore 10 which', as is-shown'best in Figures 8 and 9 of thedrawings, consists of a plurality of units'll and 12. Each-'ofthelunitsll may be considered to consist of two plates 13 'and aseparatorv 14, and each or thevunitsvlZ may be considered to consist of.

two plates 15 and a 'separator 14.

Each of the separators 14 consists'of a thin sheet ofY copper or othersuitable'i metal in which,

throughout vits length, there are formed deep parallel corrugations 16of uniform size and shape which extend Yfrom one side edge to the otherof the separator. In the side walls of each corru-` gation, there areformed `a series of alternatelyV outwardly and inwardly disposeddepressions` 17 which areV so arranged that each outwardly disposedd'epression in one wall of eachl corrugation is in alignmenttransversely of the corrugations withan inwardly disposed depression inthe other wall of the corrugati'on, and that eachinwardly disposeddepression in one' wall of a corrugation is in alignment transversely ofVthe kc'zorrugations with ari-outwardly disposed depression in the otherwall of the corrugation; f I

Each of the plates 13 consists of a thin sheet of copper Yor othersuitable metal viii-which,

throughout its length, there are formed parallelA oorrugations 18v whichextend from oneside edge to the other of the plate. The corrugations 18are of uniform size rand shape andtheir intercenter spacingis equal tothat of the, corrugations 16 Ain the separators 14. Each ofthecorrugations 18, fon what may be considered the outer side ofthe plate,is joined to the next adjacent corrugation on one side by a series ofdepressions `19 which are equal in Width to and` of greater depth thanthe corrugations 4which they join and tolthenext adjacent corrugationonthe otherV side by a series of similar depressions 19, which arestaggered with respect to therrst mentionedseries of depressions. y

Each of the plates 15 consists of a thin sheet of copper or lothersuitable metal in which there are Vformedthroughout its length outwardlyextend-` formed a number of inwardly extending partispheroidaldepressions 21. In each side edge of each of the plates 15, throughoutits length, there are formed parallel corrugations 22 which in size andshape are identical with the corrugations 18 in the plates 13, and whoseinter-center spacing is, consequently, equal to that vof the depressions20. The corrugations 22 are so disposedv that the center of eachinwardly extending corrugation is in alignmentV with the center of oneof the def c to' such an extent that the bottoms of the inwardij Vlyextending corrugations are'iri the same plane parallel to the plate asand merge into the outer ends of the depressions 20. l I Y While the twoplates 13 of each unit 11 and the twoplates 15 of each unit 12 may beformed as separate elements, the tworplates of each unit are preferablyformed in a single strip 13-13 or 15-15 which is similaryin form to thecorrespondingA plates but of somewhat more than twice the length of oneof them. i

c Each of the units 11 is formed by foldingrone of .the strips 13.-173around aseparator 14 so that the bottoms of the corrugations in theseparator are seated against Vthe bottoms of the inwardly extendingcorrugations on the adjacent wall of the, strip and then overlapping andfastening to,-

'gether the ends of the strip throughout its width.

ltfwill be noted that the inwardly extending con- Vexitiels resultingfrom the formationvof the de-l pressions 19 tend to maintain thecorrugations in the separator and the corrugations in the strip in thedescribed relations.

lEach of .the units 12 is formed by folding one of the strips V15-15around a separator 14 so that the bottoms of the corrugations in theseparator are Vseated in the depressions 2() Vand'against the bottomsofthe inwardly extending corrugations 22 on the adjacent wall of thestrip land then overlapping and fastening together the ends of the strip`throughout its width. It will be noted that the side'wallsofthe'depressions 20 and the inwardly extending convexities resulting fromthe formation of the depressions 21 ,tend4 to maintain the corrugationsin theV separator and the depressions in the strip inthe describedrelation. y

rlhe core 10 is formed by assembling anumber of the units 1l and 12,with a unit 11 between each pair of units 12 and aunit (12 between eachpairv of units 11, so that the corrugations 18 and 22 are inter-nestedand that the side edges andV endsY of the units arein'registrationyclamping the assemblyin a suitable xture; and thenYdipping the side edges of the units successively in a flux bathk and asolder bath. The soldering operation unites the side edges of thejuxtaposed platesc13v and 15 and unites the side edges of the separatorsto the plates 13 orl5 between which they are interposed and completesVthe production o1"` a heat vexchange element in which there areprovided a number of isolated passages 23 of relatively large sizealternating with a number of transversely. disposed passages 24 Vofrelativelyl small size. It may Vhere'be notedthat when the hereinbeforedescribed core is to be used to effect an exchange of heat betweenlubricatingv oil-of the type employed in the propelling internalcombustion engines of automotive vehicles and another iluid, the core ispreferably so arranged that the 'oil flows through the passages 24 andthe other duid through the passages 23 and that, j in this event, thewalls of thepassages 24 should `the edges of the core.

be so constructed and/or arranged that the depth vof the passages isone-sixteenth of an inch (115') or less because a sufficiently rapidtransfer of `heat to or froma body of oil of greater thickness thanone-sixteenth of ciently effected.V

In the embodiment ofthe inventionk illustrated y v10 n municate at theiropposite ends with the interiors .Y j.V

in Figures l, Zand 3, the oil passages 24 com-4 of side header elements25. VEach of ,'the side` header elements consists of a sheet metal plateinwhich there is formed a channel 26 which is bounded on two side edgesand oneL end A,edge by ilanges 27 and gradually decreases in depth fromits unflanged toits hanged end. The side header i elements ares'odisposed that the unilangedfend' of one is located at the side of thecore distant from that of the other and are securedfto the corerbysoldering their side and end flanges, toy

The deeper ends of the' channezlvsjvZfiin the,l

header elements communicate with their;-k terior.k of end headerelements 2 8 on which there are provided a.f1ange29 which embracesandlissoldered tothe adjacentfendfflange 27 of one bf;v Y

the sidexheader elementsa ange 30iwhichj embraces and isisoldered to theadjacentA unanged vanl end of the other of `the side header elementsflanges 31 which are soldered to the edges ol the core. ci*

'Ihe structure heretofore described, which, al-

thoughcapable of use as a Vheat exchanger by -35 regulator as a whole,be considered as. a sub-as-f. l Y sembly, is inthe form o f theinvention shown in itself, may, with respect to theoilvtemperature Ases'Figures 1,V 2 and Bienclosed within a housing 32 which consists ofcup-shaped body and cover members 33 and 34 whose open ends are flangedand secured together by bolts and nuts 35. The housing is secured to thesub-assembly by studs 36 which are anchored in plates 37 which areYsoldered to the end header elements and extend through the ends f cf theend vheader A' elements, the ends of thebody and cover members33and v34and fittings 39 and 38 which are mounted onjithe ends of thefb'ody'andcover members.

The plates 37, .the endrwalls of the end header elements, the endwallsof the bodyandcover members and `the fittings are apertured, as in- 1dicated at 40 and41, to Aprovide passages through` which [oil mayenterand be discharged from the subassembly. To the sides Yofthe body memfber ,33 of the housing, there are securedwater inlefand outlet iitting's42and 43. Ii desired,

there may be fixed to the sub-assemblyro'pposite the waterf inlettting42 a distributing plate 44.*

The oil temperature regulator shown in Figures l i 1,'2 and 3 of thedrawings and hereinbefore der;

scribed was designed for use on internal combustion engines of thewater-cooled type, andis inf Y tended to be'installe'd on suchengines sothat theV engine .cooling water will enter the iitting 42, pass threughthe interior of the housing 32,'v and be discharged from the tting 43 onits 'way fromA thev engine water cooling radiator to the engine coolingwater jacket andcsorthat the en*- gine lubricant will enterV theiittingv 38`, pass through the interior of the sub-assembly and be 3discharged from the fitting 39 on` its way from the lubricant reservoirvtothe bearings o f .the

engine. I -Y f4 It will be understood, as indicated bythe ax'-, rows inFigure 1, that water which enters fthe part, by way of the.distribu'tingplate 44 and the passage 23 in the core 10. It will be noted that, sincethe .water which fiows throughr the housing 32 has acces'stothe exteriorof the sub-assembly as well as tothe interior of the passages'23, allwalls of the'core aresubject both externally and internally-to eitherwaterY pressure or oil pressure which tends to minimize the strains onthe core due "to the pressure' ofY the fluids-passing therethrough. y ay' It will also be understood, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2,that oil'whichenters the lfitting 38 will pass therefrom successivelythrough. the end oil inlet `header element28 and the side oil inletheader element 25 into the passages 24 in the core whence it will passsuccessively through the f inlet and outlet ends of the channels.` Y

Because the bottoms of the depressions 20'inV the plates 151areseatedagainst the bottoms of the outwardly extending corrugations 18 in theplates l13'oil passing through the passages 24 can travel from` onetransverse 'space' defined by a pair of depressions 20 anda pair ofoutwardly extendingdepressions 18 to another only by way of theconnecting depressionsr19, and since the depressions 19 in adjacent rows'arestaggered with respect to each other, vthe streams'of oil travellingthrough the passages 24V are continually divided, subdivided, united andreunited with the result that veddy currents, which exertV a scrubbingaction and tend tov prevent congelation of oil..on the walls ofthepassages and to remove congealed oil therefrom and,consequently,.prornote most efficient heat exchange between the fluidsin the passages 23 and 24, are produced. It will be observed that,`althoughthe passages defined in partby the'depres'sionslQ are narrowerthan the passages v.defined in part by the inwardly extendingcorrugations 18,y the Vmean depth of the former is somewhat y.greaterthan that of the latter and the oil'ow capacity of a transverse row ofthe former is substantially equal to that oflon'e of the latter. Thisfeature tends to equalize the strains on the side wallsV 4 and 5includes a vcore 50 which, exceptthat lit contains a smaller number ofcore units,11 and 12, is identical with the core previously described.To the edges of the sides of the core 50 through which the oil passagesopen, there are secured,

through the intermediary of relatively heavy side plates v59, oil inletand outlet headers51 and 52. The sub-assembly which consists of thecore,

50, the side plates 59, and the oil headers 51 and 52 is inclosed withina housing 53 which doesY not, except in size, differ from the housing 32shown in Figures 1 and 2 andV this sub-assembly is connected to thehousing 53.in the same manner that the sub-assembly shown in Figures 1and 2 ,is connected to the housing 32. yThe oil Vternperature regulatorshown in Figures 4 and 5 Vis l open ends'of the body and housing.

provided with oil inlet and outlet fittings 5v5 land v54,}respectively,water inlet` and outlet `fittings 56 and 57,'respectively, and awater.distributing plate 58` similar.- to the corresponding parts of the oiltemperature regulator shown in `Figures 1,f2.and3 .I

`The oil temperature regulatorvshown in Figure 6 does not differmateriallyifrom that shown in Figures lland 5 exceptin that the `core64"con. tains fewer units 11 and 12,' in theAV construction of the oilinlet and outlet fittings 60 and 61Vv and in the manner in which thebody 62 and cover 3 of the housing are secured together and to thesub-assembly which in the regulator shown in v Figure 6v includes theoil inlet and outlet'rlttings as well aspthe core, the sidefplates 59and the oil inlet and outlet headers 51 and 52. In the oil temperatureregulator shown in Figure 6, the oil inletand outlet fittings consist oftubular elements whose inner ends are fianged-.and soldered to theinterior of the oil inlet Yand outlet headers, respectively. In theclosed ends of the" b'ody and cover portionsof the housing 62-63, thereare provided openings through which the oil outlet and inlet fittingsextend. i The housing iis securedfto the sub-assembly by nuts 65whichlare.

threaded on the fiittings 60 and 61 and the body ends are telescopicallyrelated are secured' toportions of thehousing. together during .thesoldering operation, nuts may be screwed on .the

fittings prior to the soldering operation or interfitting snapwlockelements 66. and-67 may be formed on-the telescopically'related edgesofthe cover portions of the It willbe apparent that, in operation, theoil temperature regulators shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 do notdifferfroin that shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3 except in thatlthe oil fiowsvtherethrough in a straight line between the` oil inlet and outletfittings. In Figures 4,;5 and'6 the heavy arrows indicate thepathofwater and the light arrows the path of oil through the. oiltemperature regulators.

In the oil temperature'regulator shownin Fig# ure 7, the sub-assembly'ldoes not differ substantiallyfrom jthat shown in Figures 1,. 21and 3except in the oilginlet-and outletttings 71 and 72 which are similar tothose incorporated in the oil temperature regulator shown-in Figure 6.In the oil temperature regulator shown in Figure '7, thehousing consistsof two similar. generallyc'upshaped' members '73 and" 74 which aresecured to the sub-assembly '70 byv means. of nuts 75 and togetherthrough flanges 76 which vareiforxnedon theirfopenl ends by means ofnuts andv bolts '77. To one side of the cup-shapedmember 73 oppo'- sitethe ends of the water passages in one end.

of the core 10 there is secured a water inlettting-f78 and to thecorresponding side of the cup+ shaped member` 74 opposite the waterpassages in the-other end ofthe core, there is secured a water outletfitting '79. The side of the housing opposite` that to which thefittings '78 and 79 are secured is bulged outwardly, as indicated at 80.

V'.ltis intended that 'water which enters the housing through the inletfitting 'Z8 shall pass therefrom through and around the portionof thesubassembly 70 on the same side of the' flanges 76 as the fitting-andthen turn at a rightY angle and travel through the bulge 80 vto theopposite-end of the `housing *andv thencethroughand around theV opposite.i end of the sub-assembly to and and cover portions of the housingwhose openv through the water outlet tting 79. To cause the waterto flowin the indicated path, there is clamped between the flanges 76 aplatev81 which bridges Y the space between the housing" and the core at'allpoints except. betweenthe `bulge and the adjacent wall ofthe core.Except asindicated above,V the oil temperature regulator shown vinFigure V7 does noti differ .in operation from that shownin Figures 1, 2and 3.. In Figure 7, as in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 6, the heavy arrowsindicate the path of water flow and the light arrows the path of oil'flow through the oil Ytemperature regulator. v

The plate. 90 Which is shown fragmentarily in Figure 10 is amodification of the plate 13 which is shown in preceding figures anddoes not differ from the plate 13 except in that the depressions 92 arespac'ed apart a vsmaller distance than the corresponding depressions 19in the plate 13 and in that the'end depressions are of slightlydiiierentform than the intermediate depressions.

The oil temperature regulator shown in Figures 11, 12 and'13 includes acore 100 which, except that it is of somewhat'diiierent shape, does notdiffermaterially from the cores shown in the preceding gur'es. A sideplate 101, which is slightlyA outwardly'rconvex, is disposed on theouter side of each of the elements 102 (of which either may be either aplate 13 or a plate 15) with its side and end edges soldered orotherwise suitably secured'to the corresponding edges of the element102. To the vedges of the ends of the core through which the oilpassages open, there are vsecured oil inlet and outlet headers 103 and104 on which there are provided flanges 105 which overlap and aresecured to the ends of the side plates 101. The space between one of theside plates 101 and the corresponding element 102 is placed incommunication with the interior of the oil inlet header 103 by a channel109 which isformed in part in an Yend edge ofthe side plate and in partin the overlapping vflange 105 of the oil header and the space betweenthe otherof the l vside plates andthe corresponding element 102 isplaced incommunication with the interior of the oil outlet header 104 bya similarly formed channel.. The sub-assembly, which consists of thecore 100, the side plate 101, andthe oil headers 103 and 104 is inclosedwithin a' housing 106 which does not diiier materially `from the housing32 shown in Figures 1 and 2 and is connected to the housing 106 in thesame manner that the sub-.assembly shown in'Figures 1 and 2 isconnectedto. the housing 32. fThe oil temperature regulator shown infFigures 11 to 13 ispro'- vided .with'oil Vinlet and outlet fittings 107and 108, respectively, and water inlet andl outlet lttings (not shown)similar to` the'correspondin partsY shown in Figures 1 and 2. YOil andwater flow through'the oil temperature regulator shown in Figures 11` to13 in the same general manner asthrough the oiltemperature regulatorsshown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. However, it will be noted that the oiltemperature regulator shown in Figures 11 to 13 has one importantadvantage over the oil temperature regulators Vshown in Figures 4, 5 and6, viz., that, since during operation of the regulator kthe spacesbetween the `side plates 101 and the elements 102 willbecomeffilled`with oil from the oil headers. oil pressure Will be applied to theoutersides of the elements 102 which will tend to equalize the oil pressureapplied to the interiors of the oil passages. through the core and,consequently, to prevent disruption :or distortion of the core.

Although I have shownand described preferred f' embodiments of myinvention, it is tobe understood thatthis has been done. by way of .ex-

ample and'not by vway oflimitation' andhthat the scope of. myinventionis tov bedetermined only by the appended.. claims. I claim:

1: In a heat exchanger,- means dening a channel consisting ofrelatively.` wide portions spaced longitudinally of the direction of Wof the iiuid joined by a plurality of relatively narrow portions spacedtransversely ow of the fluid.

2. The invention claimed in claim 1 in which the total cross-sectionalarea vof the relatively narrowv portion is such' that the ow capacity ofthe direction ofA thereof is substantiallyequal to .that of eachf'of therelatively `wide portions which they, join.

3. :In a heat exchanger, plate-like elements which denea relativelyshallow ,.luidchannel, relatively wide,. spaced concavities extending Kv rtransversely of the inner face of one of the .elements, a pluralityof relatively narrow spaced concavities joining each adjacentpair oftherelatively,wideconcavities, and convexities onthe` other Vof theelements so arranged as to'prevent communication between the.Vrelatively Widecon-r cavities except through-therelatively narmw con; f

cavities., Y

4. The invention claimed in claim 3km-which I' Y the relativelynarrowconcavities are of .greater depth than thel relatively wide concavities.

5.*In a vheat exchanger, plate-lille',elementsf` which denne a channel,Vthrough which fluid un-g der pressurevis adapted to be circulated,- andmeans whereby the static vpressure ofthe fluid will beapplied to theouter sides of theelements f to balance the pressure exerted thereon by.th

fluid flowing through the channel.`

6, In a heat exchangenxa member 'in there are provided two sets ofpassagesarranged in heat-exchanging relation, a header element whichislecated on one side of the member and communicates with one end of oneset. of the pas-hA sages, aheader element, which is located. on theopposite Vsidev of the member and communicates with the other end ofthe. last-mentioned ,set of passages, theheader. elements varying indepth from one end to the other and the'shallow end of one beinglocatedatV the end ofthe member-fdistantfrom rthat at which the shallowend 'of the other element is located, and a headenelement located on oneend ofthe member and communi-i eating with one ments.

v'7. In a heat exchanger, a core through which iiuid is adapted to becirculated-under. pressure,

and means to apply the pressure of the fluidY to I ythe outer sides ofthe core to balance the pressure of the flid iiowing therethroughincluding pockjets on the outer sides of the core to which the fluid hasaccess.

of the mentioned header ele+ f 8. In a heat exchanger, a memberfin whichy there are provided two sets of passages arranged f in heat exchangingrelation, ai headerv element which communicates with one end of one setof the passages, a header element which communicates with the other endof the last mentioned set o1' passages', the header elements varyinginldepth 9. In a heat exchanger, a core which includes plate-likeelements betweenwhich fluid under pressure is adapted to flow, and meansto apply the pressure of the fluid to the outer sides of the core tobalance the pressure of the fluid flowing therethrough including closedspaces on the outer sides of the outer plates to which the fluid hasaccess. .Y

10. In a heat exchanger, a core which includes plate-like elements whichdefine passagesl through which fluid under pressure is adapted to flowuid headers, and reinforcing elements which engage the core and extendfrom oneof the headers to the other. Y

1l. In a heat exchanger, a core which includes plateflike elements whichdefine passages through which fluid under pressure is adapted to flow,Areinforcing plates seated on Vand secured to the outer plate-likeelements, and huid headers which are secured to the reinforcing plates.

12. In a heat exchanger, plate-like elements which define a passagethrough which fluid is adapted to flow, spaced convexities which extendtransversely of one andengage the other of the plate-like elements, andconcavities which connect the spaces between the mentioned convexities..

13. In a heat exchanger, plate-like elements which dene a passagethrough Which fluid is adapted to now, spaced convexties which extendtransversely of one and engage the other of theV plate-like elements,and concavities in the mentioned convexties which connect the spacestherebetween.

v 14. In a heat exchanger, plate-like elements which dene a passagethrough which fluid is p 15. In a heat exchanger, a plate-like element,`

elongated spaced convexities in the plate-like element, and concat/itieswhich connect the spaces between the mentioned convexities and form onthe opposite side of the plate-like element con' Vexities between `whichcrests of a sinuous element are adapted to be located.

JOHN RALPH HOLMES.

